A: The most important thing we can consume to improve vocal health is water. Staying hydrated helps your body produce thin, watery mucus. Your vocal cords vibrate more than 100 times a second when you speak, and they need that mucus to help them stay lubricated. We recommend drinking 64 ounces of water each day.
“The vocal folds need to be lubricated with a thin layer of mucus in order to vibrate efficiently. The best lubrication can be achieved by drinking plenty of water.”
Water should be a singer's drink of choice because it lubricates your vocal folds, allowing them to vibrate fully. Staying hydrated doesn't just help your vocal cords – it brings moisture to your mouth and throat, too. This improves your articulation and clarity when you sing.
According to pathologist and singing voice specialist Kristie Knickerbocker, "Olive oil can't directly lubricate the vocal cords, but it may provide some hydration from the inside out.
Some of the most popular “remedies” singers employ include honey, slippery elm, and oral and pharyngeal moisturizers (such as sprays and teas). Honey relieves irritation of the mucus membranes in the mouth by forming a protective film.
Peppermint Oil
What singer doesn't have challenges with this from time to time? This stuff is a game changer! With a typical bottle of peppermint oil, I put about 5-10 drops in the palm of my hand and massage it around my entire throat and neck 1-2 times a day.
Honey is known to have powerful soothing effects on your voice, vocal cords, and throat. It's rich in antioxidants and has antibacterial properties which help fight bacterial infections in the throat. Honey can help singers recover quicker from strained, sore, and lost voices.
Gargle with warm salt water
The salt moisturizes like nothing else and the Throat Coat diminishes inflammation and gives an extra coating of moisture to your vocal cords.
The best drinks before singing are warm drinks without caffeine or milk, warm water and herbal teas containing manuka honey, lemon and ginger are ideal. Warm or room-temperature water will hydrate your vocal cords, making them more supple and less liable to injury.
Treatment may include voice therapy, bulk injections, surgery or a combination of treatments. In some instances, you may get better without surgical treatment. For this reason, your health care provider may delay permanent surgery for at least a year from the beginning of your vocal cord paralysis.
Tightness, dryness, or soreness in your throat can be related to chronic sinus infections, allergies, or acid reflux. It can also be a side effect of medications you're taking. These are things to discuss with a throat doctor (laryngologist) who understands singers' needs and problems.
The cords can be re-hydrated by inhaling steam (i.e. hot shower, facial steamer, hot-water vaporizer). Internal dehydration comes from too much caffeine, alcohol, drying drugs, or sweating without fluid replacement. Internal re-hydration is probably best achieved by drinking lots of water.
What vitamin is good for your voice? Vitamin A assists the vital organs, including the lungs, the powerhouse of the voice.
Even better, coconut can fight viruses which are definitely something you don't want, illness can wreak havoc on your vocal cords. Coconut oil is also very soothing for the throat.
Is lemon good for your voice? Yes, as lemon has a high source of vitamin C to help fight infection and, like honey, contains calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium. Lemons contain citric acid which helps to break down the mucus in your throat and also helps to relieve you of throat inflammations.
Chronic hoarseness for more than two weeks (such as a raspy or breathy voice, a voice quiver, or a strained or choppy voice) Pain or a lump in the throat when speaking. Changes in pitch. Odd sounding speech.
Did you know that it can take up to 4 hours for the water to reach your vocal folds? So the water you drink on stage or in the recording booth does not have any direct effect on the voice. Sip throughout the day, and don't wait until you get thirsty.
Manuka Honey is especially useful for singers, as it packs a serious health punch. It is antibacterial, antiseptic and excellent for supporting us during the winter months. One of the key components of Manuka is MGO (or methylglyoxal) which has rich antimicrobial and antiseptic properties.
Turmeric has amazing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which makes it great for the voice if your vocal cords are tired or you feel inflammation in your throat or nasal passages. Buy it fresh or in powdered form, and put it in your tea and sprinkle it on every meal you can handle!
Like any muscle in your body, the voice needs to recover after being worked out – especially if you've just melted some faces in a venue with an extremely loud band. Every singer's best friend should be the Vick's Personal Steam Inhaler.
For sore throat or mouth pain: Adults and children 12 years of age and older—Spray 5 times to the affected area every 2 hours. Children 3 to 12 years of age—Spray 3 times to the affected area every 2 hours.